Maybe I should have named this blog “The Home of Petty MMO Grievances?” I seem to be carping about a lot of little things of late.
On the other hand, the fact that these little things matter to me is usually a reflection of my involvement with the game. I want a game I like to be just a little bit better.
Anyway, my gripe of the moment involves the dialog box that comes up when you take a horse trip between stable masters in Lord of the Rings Online. I am still ten levels and four gold coins away from being able to buy my own horse, but I am getting to the point where the 15 silver to travel quickly to keep my group from waiting is not a huge sacrifice.
I am on a horse a little more often these days in Middle-earth. As usual, I like to take screen shots of the things I do in game, and a dwarf on a horse is certainly worthy of a screen shot in my book.
However, when you are travelling between stable masters in LOTRO, your screen shot potential is shot. You get to see this:
Yes, that stupid little dialog box is fixed in place in the middle of your screen while you ride.
Now who thought that was a good idea? Where was the precedent for such a thing?
The only other game I know where you can jump off of a game controlled mount is EverQuest II, and SOE apparently felt that no similar alert was required. If you want off a griffon, you just hit the space bar for jump, and off you go.
I guess that could come as a bit of a surprise if you hit space bar by accident mid-flight. It is not problem for my fae, who just glides on down, or my ranger with his safe fall, but I could see ogre guardians having a hard time.
It looks like it will be at least another ten levels before I can get a decent riding picture in LOTRO.